Tuesday, September 24, 2013

TSA Travel Tips Tuesday - Traveling With Medication

One of
the more popular questions we get from travelers is: “Can I travel with my
medication.” The answer is yes, with some qualifiers. Here are a few tips that
you might find helpful.

You can
bring your medication in pill or solid form in unlimited amounts as long as it
is screened.

Medication
in liquid form is allowed in carry-on bags in excess of 3.4 ounces in
reasonable quantities for the flight. It is not necessary to place medically
required liquids in a zip-top bag. However, you must tell the officer that you
have medically necessary liquids at the start of the screening checkpoint
process. Medically required liquids will be subjected to additional screening
that could include being asked to open the container.

You can
travel with your medication in both carry-on and checked baggage. It’s highly
recommended you place these items in your carry-on in the event that you need
immediate access.

TSA does
not require passengers to have medications in prescription bottles, but states
have individual laws regarding the labeling of prescription medication with
which passengers need to comply.

Medication
is usually screened by X-ray; however, if a passenger does not want a
medication X-rayed, he or she may ask for an inspection instead. This request
must be made before any items are sent through the X-ray tunnel.

Travelers
or families of passengers with disabilities and medical conditions may call the
TSA Cares helpline toll free 855-787-2227, 72 hours
prior to traveling with any questions about screening policies, procedures and
what to expect at the security checkpoint. A TSA Cares helpline representative
is available during all TSA Contact Center hours.

See you
next Tuesday with more travel tips! Until then, check out some of our previous Travel
Tips Tuesday posts if you haven’t already.

51 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Your statement that "TSA does not require passengers to have medications in prescription bottles, but states have individual laws regarding the labeling of prescription medication with which passengers need to comply." The latter part of the sentence is not clear. Does it have something to do with some states requiring that medication must be in a prescription bottle while in transit?

Bob, are TSA screeners qualified to determine how much liquid medication one might need for a flight? What medical training do TSA screeners have to be able to make such a determination?

Some screener on a power trip could literally kill a passenger if said screener made a determination that the passenger was carrying too much liquid medication.

As a matter of fact, a screener determined recently that a passenger could not take his nitroglycerin pills on a flight because they were "explosive." That person could have died without the prescribed medication should there have been a cardiac emergency.

I'm going on a trip for one month and I need to bring a medication in a liquid form. My one month supply will significantly exceed your 100 ml maximum. As I read your blog, I can only bring enough for the flight. Is this really true?

Most people I talk to say to take my medications in my carry on to assure I have it at my destination. Since I'll have several 250 ml containers, will the Airport Security Screeners really make me check them?

So, how can a non-medically trained TSO determine when a medication in liquid form is a "reasonable quantity for the flight." Also, you later recommend medicines be packed in carry-on, not checked, so should that not be "reasonable for the duration of the trip?" And again, what medical training do TSOs receive in order to make this determination?

It is also worth remembering that the low temperatures my destabilise some formulations eg insulin. So if someone is travelling for a few days or weeks, they will need to take it into the cabin. I wonder what the guidance from TSA is on this

It seems that after all regulations around medicines aren't so bad, which is fair as some passengers will need their medicines with them all the time. I do agree though with the comment left by Wintermute because unless TSO stuff is medically trained, how can they get involved with such as delicate issue?

It's good that your policy says that liquid medication is allowed. However, what should a passenger do if one of your screeners feels that the amount of liquid medication is too much? What should a passenger do in that situation?

In most cases, the passenger will be allowed to pass with no issues. However, it only takes one screener who makes up their own rules to make life miserable. It's scary that someone who likely has no medical training and is unfamiliar with the condition being treated could prevent a passenger from travelling with their medicine.

Common sense applies here. If a person is so sick that the amount of medications exceeds 100ml, then that person should not be traveling at all. The safety and security of the greater whole of the traveling public demands adherence to carefully thought out TSA rules.

Since you are talking about liquid medications, I would like to bring back the unanswered question I brought about a few weeks ago regarding liquid toiletries:

You claim that over 100 mL deodorant is not allowed, while more than 100 mL stick deodorant is because you can´t tell if the liquid deodorant isn´t an explosive. So how is it you can tell that the stick deodorant isn´t an explosive? Fact is, explosives come in all states of matter.

I would very much appreciate an answer to this question that has been bothering me for quite a while - I have a very difficult time following rules that make no sense to me.

It seems that after all regulations around medicines aren't so bad, which is fair as some passengers will need their medicines with them all the time. I do agree though with the comment left by Wintermute because unless TSO stuff is medically trained, how can they get involved with such as delicate issue?

We might believe you more if events like what happened to Sai, the mothers and breast milk incidents, the insulin pump incidents, the ostomy bag incident, the adult diaper incidents, the baby diaper incidents, the Peter Mayhew cane incident, the children in wheelchair incidents, the you-see-where-I'm-going-with-this incidents didn't happen so often, Bob.

Why do TSA screeners without medical degrees think they get to play Doctor God with the flying public's health?

OK, Bob, to amplify what others have said, there are numerous documented instances of screening clerks deciding how much medicine, or breast milk, is sufficient for the flight. In many citizens' opinions, this constitutes the crime of practicing medicine without a license, unless the TSA is now requiring all screening clerks to have a medical degree and meet local certification requirements.

Just in case you don't believe me, here is a definition of the crime of practicing medicine without a license from FindLaw.com: http://tinyurl.com/pbsy7ks.

Nadine Hays is presently engaged in a long & drawn-out lawsuit against you on this very issue. Rest assured, if I ever need to fly with liquid medicine, that I will be recording the entire encounter and will be prepared to file felony charges if necessary.

Second point: From your own website, you state that you will not open liquid medicine: http://tinyurl.com/ljjxdxg, which contradicts what you said in your post.

Bob if thats the case care to explain the actions by TSA employees at PHX in reguards to Stacy Amato????????????????

Congrats since my last comment was censored... yet again (so much for the 1st amendment & federal rules for websites and blogs). Complaint filed with the OIG and copied to congress critters that hold DHS/TSA purse strings.

You folks should note that TSA, Bob Burns, nor any of the other members of the TSA Blog Team had the backbone to step up and respond to the many questions asking how a TSA screener is qualified to determine how much liquid medicine a person requires.

The only problem I see in airport security is the delay caused when something out of the ordinary stops the lines. For that reason, I believe people with medical conditions or elderly or children or handicapped be put through a line specifically for them.

That way normal people can go through the lines quickly, benefiting everyone.

Anonymous said...The only problem I see in airport security is the delay caused when something out of the ordinary stops the lines. For that reason, I believe people with medical conditions or elderly or children or handicapped be put through a line specifically for them. That way normal people can go through the lines quickly, benefiting everyone.September 30, 2013 at 10:01 PM

----------------------------------

A special line with minimal screening since it is very unlikely that any of these people pose a security threat.

The only problem I see in airport security is the delay caused when something out of the ordinary stops the lines. For that reason, I believe people with medical conditions or elderly or children or handicapped be put through a line specifically for them."

That would be blatant discrimination and in violation of the ADA - but then again, the TSA violates the ADA every single day, multiple times a day.

My liquid Rx is 180 mg per labelled container, 12 containers for this particular trip. I'm also disabled (according to "Anonymous, not a "normal" person). I've never had a problem with TSA screening, simply because I find out what's expected of me then do it. Yes, we're slowly losing many of our freedoms but to keep the future as safe as possible for my grandchildren and yours, why can't some of you bloggers with ridiculous complaints just research what is expected then do it? People WILL work with you but if you insist on being antagonistic it's your own fault if you're getting extra scrutiny.

You missed the point, Cathy. The point is that some screener could someday determine that you have too much liquids meds with you and just arbitrarily take them away, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT YOU FOLLOWED THE RULES.

Antagonism toward the security policies of the DHS does NOT make me a threat to anything. I do NOT like TSA checkpoints, and am cooperative just enough at them to get through smoothly (except for the knife stolen by a TSA supervisor at SFO, the same knife that had been handled and handed back to me by 3 TSA agents at other airports on previous occasions).

The TSA should NOT be AT ALL concerned with whether a passenger is compliant with local or foreign laws, ONLY whether the passenger presents a realistic risk to the flight they are boarding. This is to say that if Osama bin Laden had gone through American airports and passed through a TSA screening, he should have been permitted to fly. Wants, warrants, terror lists and all the risk have NOTHING to do with the flight of an airplane. Neither do local laws wherever an airport is located. And neither do laws and watch lists of OTHER countries.

But the TSA is the gateway for EVERY law enforcement agency IN THE WORLD.

Amen! DO NOT FLY IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. I used to take a short hop to another state (before I was diagnosed with Diabetes). Now I compared the rental rate of a car and gasoline and it was continually too close to resist! Twice, it was cheaper!Driving is not an easy thing for a long shot but consider the benefits. I'm not even going to "put down the TSA"; driving allows you to relax & although it takes longer why should I have to worry about Insulin or idiots changing their baby's diapers on the tray-table? Why should I deal with thieves or just the general run of the mill public jerk? The facts are that SOME cars can get up to 40mpg on the highway.

I am going on a cruise and need to fly from Delaware to Florida on the ship. I only need enough medication for 8 days. So the majority of my meds will be at home in its original bottle and locked in my safe so my kids can not get ahold of them. So I would be bringing 15-20 solid pill meds in a bottle with no label, or a bottle with my name but a different prescription name, or should they be placed loosely in one of my smaller pockets in my luggage? Bob or any TSA if you could answer that I would greatly appreciate it. Or if anybody else has the answer to this question due to experiencing it themselves. Thanks

some people need to be screened and told what they are to do and not, to feel like they are conforming super goodie Americans, I think their called Sheep.. Probably the same yahoo who says if you need x amount of meds dont fly..TSA, and blooger opinions , I dont feel any more enlighten by their actions..

It means that some states have laws that say prescription medications must be kept in their original containers with intact labels at all times. If you're in a state with such a law, you will be expected to comply.

Hi everyone Luckily I do not have liquid medications. I was diagnosed very young with a very rare disease that has no cure. What is bothering me is people saying if you have medical issues you should not fly. I am in my twenties and my grandmother is dying. She used to live with us but moved to florida. We were told to say our goodbyes. I cannot drive or stay in the car for days and the only way to see her is hopping on a plane a.s.a.p. I have no problem getting to the airport extra early and even going in a separate line so I don't "back-up the line" for a few minutes most likely they will pull me to the side anyway. I would bring doctors notes and be thouraly prepared. Come on people we have to get to the airport hours earlier than our flight anyway! I wouldn't feel discriminated against going in a separate line because I would feel bad holding up everyone else waiting. Honestly shouldn't they have a doctor to make the call on prescription meds we need in order to survive?? A random person won't know half the meds I'm on! My family doesn't even know all of them and I have actually had to clarify to a doctor I saw what the medication was and why I'm on it!! I understand safety, rules, regulations but if your not my doctor and I need these meds to survive to see my dying grandmother......that's messed up to have a stranger play "doctor"

Well I know in the US if you are found with prescription medication on you, you better have the bottle to show they were perscribed to you (especially Xanax or any other anti depresant, Oxycodine etc) or you can get charged with unlawful posession. I always carry the original bottle with my name on it when I travel.

Hi,My parents are coming to visit us in the US from India. They will stay with us for 2 months. Could they bring 2 months' supply of their prescribed medicines in carry on bag? Medicines are in tablet form.

The easiest way would be to have a letter from your primary doctor listing the meds and dosage that you are taking with you.I am going on an international flight to Ireland and Italy for 14 days and I am not only bringing my original prescription bottles but a letter from my doctor as back up in case I get questioned by a TSA AgentHope this helps

To the individual who said if you are taking that many medications and are that ill you should not be flying. I beg your pardon, but who are you to judge and say that it should be the rule. I am a 65 year old grandmother who has liver disease. I am listed for transplant as well. I take 13 different pills daily, as the liver controls most of your vital organs, some of these pills are for blood pressure, some are Vitamin D, Magnesium and so forth. I also have an emergency liquid to take in case I start to suffer an episode of hepatic encephalopathy. I'm sure you don't have a clue what that is, but it is a life sustaining drug. Even though I have all this, I am still totally able to fly. I ride horses, train dogs, and enjoy 4 grandchildren. Who are you to say I should not fly?

I take a daily multivitamin and 3 krill oil once a day and suffer from bad migraines that just come out of nowhere and the only thing that helps that I have found so far is ibuprofen I am traveling tomorrow I don't like prescription medications so can I bring my bottle of ibuprofen and my vitamins and krill oil I can check them if necessary not a problem as I will only be flying for 5 hrs but I am a germaphobe I really don't like ppl touching something that goes in my mouth is this going to be messed with if I follow the rules and regulations

Do you get drug addicted people that's high on their own medications thinking that they can walk through and not get noticed? iff you ever get someone that is high on their own medication send them to this place to some help please they will happily pick them up get treatment